Chelmsford 0
United 2
(Wilson 60′, Young 63′)
Paul Wotton’s side climbed to the top of the National League South table on Saturday, as two sublime second half strikes secured The Gulls’ fifth successive league win.
Substitute Kieran Wilson crowned his debut with a remarkable second half strike, and when Jordan Young followed that up with another stunning effort moments later, there was to be no way back for the home side.
Boosted by back-to-back home wins, boss Paul Wotton named the same starting eleven that thrashed Eastbourne and overcame Worthing, although there was a new face on the bench, as Exeter City loan striker Wilson took his place amongst the replacements.
Having savoured so many thrills and spills at Plainmoor during the past week, it was perhaps inevitable that the entertainment at The Dunmow Group Community Stadium failed to scale those lofty heights early on.
Although there wasn’t a lot of goalmouth action, both sides created a couple of gilt-edged chances, with Jason Adigun and Harry Barbrook both failing to hit the target when well-placed, either side of The Gulls grazing the woodwork, as Young’s jinking run into the box just failed to bring about the reward he sought.
All-square at the change of ends, and it wasn’t until just after the hour mark that Wotton’s men finally wrestled the game away from the hosts, with two moments of real quality.
Having only been entered the fray in the 55th minute, on-loan man Wilson wasted absolutely no time in announcing his arrival in a yellow shirt, as he cut inside from the left before sending an audacious shot into the net from 25 yards out.
That sparked delirium in the away end on the hour mark, and just three minutes later, it was repeated following another wonderful goal.
After getting brought to ground illegally just outside the box, leading scorer Young exacted full revenge by curling a delicious free-kick into the top left-corner of the net – leaving Clarets goalkeeper Chris Haigh grasping at fresh air.
Chelmsford had no real answer to that double strike, and although the home side upped the ante in the dying stages in a bid to save themselves, they never seriously troubled a resolute and well-drilled yellow backline.
Top of the pile with twenty games played is undoubtedly a nice place to be, but you can be assured no-one at Plainmoor will be carried away for a long time yet.
That being said, United’s players, staff and fans all deserve to enjoy their evening after a thoroughly professional performance in Essex.
CHELMSFORD: 1. Chris Haigh, 2. Kieren Ronan, 3. Harry Barbrook, 6. David Long-King, 8. Dominic Odusanya, 9. Jesurun Uchegbulam (21. Jett Murphy, 72′), 10. Sam Folarin (26. Inih Effiong, 67′), 11. Ricky Holmes (4. Tom Lapslie, 77′), 16. Ben Tompkins, 23. Jason Adigun (7. Josh Castiglione, 90+2′), 33. Lyle Taylor (18. Archie Tamplin, 77′).
SUBS NOT USED: 19. Paul Ippiah, 24. Dillon Addai.
Yellow Card: Folarin 14′, Holmes 67′
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer (c), 7. Louis Dennis (17. Sonny Fish, 86′), 8. Jordan Young (22. Sonny Sharples-Ahmed, 90+3′), 11. Dylan Morgan (23. Keiran Wilson, 55′), 20. Dan Hayfield, 24. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 26. Jordan Thomas, 27. Matt Jay.
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Denzel Akyeampong, 21. Adam Seedhouse-Evans (GK), 29. Aidan Edwards.
Attendance: 1,795 (189 away)
